What Does Strep Throat Look Like?

If you have a sore throat, then there’s a possibility that it could be strep. This is an illness that is caused by bacteria that enters that body. It’s an illness that is commonly seen in children, but you can also get strep as an adult. If you pay attention to some of the signs and symptoms, you can get the proper treatments that are needed to get rid of the bacteria.

Typical Signs

During the early stages of strep, you’ll usually notice that your throat is red and feels itchy. It could also begin to hurt similarly to what you would expect with a simple cold or a cough. During this time, swallowing may begin to be more uncomfortable. Strep is an illness that begins quickly which can distinguish it from a common cold. Once you begin experiencing soreness in your throat, you should consider visiting an urgent care Charlotte office so that a strep test can be performed. Most of the time, this test will yield results within a short time so that the doctor can order antibiotics or other medications the same day if it’s positive.

Once strep begins to progress, you will usually have a fever that is over 100 degrees. If you feel the lymph nodes on the sides of your neck, they will likely be swollen. An urgent care Charlotte NC office can check your lymph nodes as well and give you an exact number regarding your temperature. If it’s high, then there’s a good chance that your sore throat will be strep when the test is completed.

If you look at the back of your throat, you might see that it’s very red or that there are red blotches on the roof of your mouth. Sometimes, there will be white areas on your tonsils or on the back of your throat. This is from the bacteria that causes strep and is one of the telltale signs when a doctor or nurse examines you that indicates strep. Your tonsils can also swell. If you frequently have strep throat, you might want to consider talking to a doctor about removing your tonsils. The surgery can help to keep strep to a minimum and relieve some of the discomforts that you feel if you were contract strep again in the future. As the bacteria from strep begins to spread, you might feel nauseous or have a headache.

How Is It Different?

One of the things to keep in mind about strep is that it’s caused by bacteria. This means that it can be treated with antibiotics. You usually won’t have the same symptoms that you would have with a cold or with the flu, such as itchy or watery eyes or sneezing. Strep isn’t an illness that would threaten your life, but it can lead to complications if untreated. It is important to seek an urgent care near me so that you can get the medications that you need to prevent the bacteria from reaching other areas of your body and possibly causing another illness.

Contagious Disease

You’ve probably heard that when children are in school, they can spread strep like wildfire. That is because strep is one of the most contagious illnesses. The bacteria can live on various surfaces and can be spread by simply shaking someone’s hand. If you suspect that you have strep, try to avoid going near other people, especially if you know that you have a fever as this is the time when you’re the most contagious. You should also try to wash surfaces in your home that you know other people will touch.

It usually takes about 48 hours for symptoms to appear. At that point, you will probably feel bad enough to warrant a visit to a doctor. Children who are younger than 12 weeks should see a doctor at the first sign that something is wrong as well as children who have a fever that is over 100 degrees. If the fever doesn’t go away within about 24 hours, you should consult with a doctor. Many sore throats will go away with over-the-counter medications or by resting and drinking fluids. However, strep won’t go away unless it’s treated with antibiotics.

When you visit the urgent care office, a nurse or doctor will use a long swab to collect a specimen from the back of your throat that will be tested for strep. In most offices, it takes less than an hour to get the results back. If the test is positive, then it could be sent to another lab to make sure it’s strep instead of another illness, but the doctor will usually give you a prescription for an antibiotic before you go home.

Strep throat can be a miserable illness to contract. Unlike a common cold, the symptoms will not usually go away without treatment. If you feel like you or a family member has contracted strep, be sure to visit your doctor.